Syria's Education Minister Nazir al-Qadir on Thursday (Jan 2) defended the changes in the country's school curriculum, which were widely criticised.

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In a statement shared on Telegram, Education Minister al-Qadir said that the changes were only meant to scrap the glorifying references to ousted president Bashar al-Assad and correct the misinterpretations of the Quran.

"The curricula in all Syrian schools will remain as is until specialised committees are formed to review and audit them," al-Qadir said.

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"We have only ordered the deletion of parts glorifying the defunct Assad regime, and we have adopted pictures of the Syrian Revolution flag instead of the defunct regime flag," he added.

What has been changed in the curriculum?

The education ministry announced the changes on Wednesday in a post on Facebook.

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The changes included scrapping poetry relating to women and love and references to "Gods" in ancient history courses and interpreting a Quranic verse about those who had angered God and strayed as referring to "Jews and Nasara", a derogatory term for Christians.

Syria's national anthem was also removed from textbooks, with the ministry describing it as the anthem of the fallen Assad government.

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The nationalistic phrase "to sacrifice one's life in defence of his homeland" has been replaced with the Islamist "to sacrifice one's life for the sake of Allah."

Outrage over the changes

Many took to social media to express outrage over the changes in the curriculum. Critics warned that "education based on extremist ideologies may shape individuals whose ideas threaten regional and international security."

"Changing the curriculum under the supervision of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is not just an educational danger, but a long-term threat to the social fabric and future of Syria," journalist Shiyar Khaleal said in a post on Facebook.

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Since the ouster of Assad last month following the rebel offensive led by the HTS, the new authorities face the challenge of rebuilding state institutions shaped by the Assad family's 50-year rule. 

Germany plans major boost for Syrian schools

The changes to the curriculum came days after Germany said it would back $62.70 million worth of projects in Syria to boost education, women's rights, and other areas in the aftermath of Assad's ouster.

In a statement, Development Minister Svenja Schulze said, "We have clearly formulated our expectations: an education system free of ideology, discrimination, and exclusion."